Ashfield

Ashfield's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and marriage.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Ashfield increased by 7.3%, from about 111,000 to 119,000.

The addition of about 8,100 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Ashfield was home to, on average, 7.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Ashfield

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Ashfield increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a slightly higher average age than the East Midlands and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 4,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.

About 16% of people in Ashfield are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Ashfield by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Ashfield

The number of people in Ashfield that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 20,000 in 2001 to about 40,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 18% to 34% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the East Midlands (from 16% to 27%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Ashfield that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 81,000 in 2001 to about 69,000 in 2011 (from 73% to 58%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just over 9,700 to just under 8,200 (from 8.7% to 6.8%).

About 430 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 190 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population without a religion in Ashfield increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Ashfield by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Ashfield saw the East Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11%) households in Ashfield had a single parent, compared with 9.7% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 41% to 35%.

Across the region, only Blaby (from 6.7% to 9.1%) and Melton (from 6.7% to 8.6%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of single-parent households.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of single-parent households, as the regional average grew from 8.8% to 9.8%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Ashfield

The percentage of Ashfield residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.1% to 5.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.2%, while the percentage of Ashfield residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 88%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 3.4% in 2001 to 4.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Ashfield that rented privately increased from 6.1% to 13% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in six (16%) households lived in social housing, compared with 19% in 2001. The percentage of Ashfield households that owned their home decreased from 73% to 69%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Ashfield increased by 6.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Ashfield, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Ashfield

The percentage of single people in Ashfield increased from 26% to 31% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (48%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 54% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Ashfield that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 11% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 28% in 2001 to 32% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 35%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Ashfield residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% to 7.2% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 63% in 2001. The percentage of Ashfield residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25% to 16%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Ashfield decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Ashfield, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Ashfield working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 9.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 50 (2.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 14% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Ashfield decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Ashfield, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Ashfield

The number of people in Ashfield from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 110,000 in 2001 to just under 120,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the East Midlands (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Ashfield from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 500 in 2001 to about 1,100 in 2011 (from 0.4% to 0.9%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 430 to just under 1,100 (from 0.4% to 0.9%).

Just over 470 people (0.2%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 180 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Ashfield decreased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Ashfield by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Employment in Ashfield

The percentage of employed people changed very little in Ashfield, while the proportion increased in Bolsover (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Ashfield).

In Ashfield, the proportion of employed people increased from 53% in 2001 to 54% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Bolsover increased from 50% to 53%.

Across the East Midlands, the share of employed people decreased from 53% to 52%.

The rate of unemployment in Ashfield increased from 4.2% to 4.7%, while the rate of self-employment increased from 6.0% to 7.0%.

The rate of employment was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Ashfield residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.7% to 3.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 50 (1.8%) reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 2.2% in 2001 to 2.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Ashfield remained close to 3.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Ashfield by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Ashfield with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 11% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 30%, while the percentage of households in Ashfield without children increased from 59% to 60%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.3% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

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